Seven Henan Platforms Shortlisted For National Pilot-Scale Test Programme

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has published its preliminary list for the third batch of key pilot-scale test platforms, with 104 platforms shortlisted nationwide. Seven of them are in Henan, spanning raw materials, equipment manufacturing and consumer goods - a tally that ranks near the top among the provinces of central China.

The entry that matters most to the diamond industry is this one: the High-Performance Superhard Materials and Products pilot platform, hosted by Zhengzhou Research Institute for Abrasives & Grinding Co., Ltd. - the Sanmo Institute.

1. The seven Henan platforms

By sector, four of the seven fall under raw materials, two under equipment manufacturing and one under consumer goods - a distribution that mirrors Henan's industrial base as a major materials province and a major equipment-building province.

2. Why this one matters to the superhard industry

A pilot-scale test platform does three jobs: process validation, scale-up and engineering development - the much-quoted last mile of technology transfer.

For superhard materials, that last mile is often longer than the laboratory stretch that precedes it.

A diamond tool formulation that works on a lab bench and one that works reliably on a shop floor are separated by a series of stubborn gaps:

• Bond matrix formulation: the same Cu–Ni–Co ratios behave differently once you switch to industrial-grade powders and a larger mixer - flowability, segregation and compact density all shift;
• Sintering curve: a small deviation in ramp rate, dwell time or atmosphere moves the matrix's hardness and its grip on the grit, and a segment ends up either too soft (fast wear) or too hard (no self-sharpening);
• Grit distribution and arrangement: diamond size distribution, concentration and engineered placement set cutting speed and service life, and are hard to hold consistent by hand once the batch grows;
• Batch consistency: moving from "one good piece" to "every batch good" is statistical process control, in-line inspection and a defined process window - a system, not a recipe.

This is exactly what a pilot platform is for. It is neither a laboratory nor a production line, but the stage that turns "we can make it" into "we can make it again, and again". Once that stage is open, a technology has actually entered the supply chain.

3. The weight behind the Sanmo Institute

The Zhengzhou Research Institute for Abrasives & Grinding - known across the industry as the Sanmo Institute - is one of the wellsprings of China's superhard materials industry. Public records show that China's first synthetic diamond was produced in Zhengzhou in 1963, and the institute was central to that work. In the decades since, a substantial share of the industry's grinding standards, test methods and process routes has traced back to this institution.

Having it host the High-Performance Superhard Materials and Products platform follows a clear logic: superhard process know-how depends heavily on long-accumulated equipment, metrology and formulation databases - capabilities that no single company can build from scratch in a short time.

For Henan, a confirmed entry would further consolidate its national lead across the superhard chain. The province is already a concentration of synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride, lab-grown diamond and diamond tool capacity, with a comparatively complete chain running from raw and auxiliary materials through products to dedicated equipment.

4. What the other six point to

• Raw materials (4): Zhengzhou Zhongke's new energy–chemical coupling platform reflects a forward position in the crossover field; Chinalco Luoyang Copper continues Luoyang's traditional strength in nonferrous processing; Henan University's nanohybrid platform targets engineering validation of frontier materials;
• Equipment (2): Luoyang Bearing Group's high-end bearing platform goes straight at a bottleneck in core components; Xiangyu Medical's rehabilitation device platform signals a breakthrough in a medical equipment niche;
• Consumer goods (1): Jihua 3515's protective footwear platform is Henan's only light-industry entry this round.

5. What has to happen after the shortlist

A place on the list is a milestone, and also a starting point. Three things will decide whether it converts into industrial value:

1. Open access - can the platform serve SMEs, rather than only its host or affiliated companies;
2. Sharing mechanisms - how test data, process parameters and equipment time are priced and shared determines actual utilisation;
3. Handover efficiency - whether pilot results transfer smoothly into volume production, which involves IP ownership and joint-development terms.

The bridge only carries traffic if these three are settled. Otherwise the day a platform is completed can be the day it starts standing idle.

In one line

A formulation proved on a lab bench is technology; a formulation that comes out identical batch after batch is an industry - and among these seven Henan platforms, the superhard pilot line hosted by the Sanmo Institute sits precisely in the narrowest gap between the two.

About huicetools: a professional manufacturer of diamond tools, founded in 2006. With years of hands-on experience, we sell factory-direct at highly competitive prices. Our product line covers diamond saw blades, diamond grinding blocks, diamond drill bits and a full range of diamond tools for construction applications.

Disclaimer: This article is adapted and rewritten from publicly available reports on the Chinese Internet and open industry knowledge, provided for industry reference only. The shortlist, platform names, host institutions and sector classifications cited herein come from the MIIT public notice and related media reports; the final selection is subject to the official announcement. Historical background on the host institutions is drawn from public sources. We make no representation as to their completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and this article does not constitute investment or procurement advice. For republication or citation, please contact huicetools and credit the original source.